NEW YORK – In a closely-contested matchup that featured nine lead changes, the Columbia women's basketball team made all the plays down the stretch in claiming its fourth consecutive win, 54-49, over Georgetown Friday at Levien Gymnasium. The game tipped at 11 a.m. with over 2,400 elementary school students in attendance for the 12th annual Education Day.
 
The victory improves Columbia to 5-3 and gives the Lions four straight in the win column for the first time since a seven-game streak during the 2016-17 non-conference season. It was also Columbia's third win in its last three tries against opponents from the BIG EAST.
 
The Lions had to grind out Friday's victory. They trailed at the end of each of the first three quarters and went down 45-42 when Georgetown's Taylor Barnes hit a 3-pointer with 5:25 to play. Just as they came back from fourth-quarter deficits to defeat both Robert Morris and Army, the Lions turned it on late. A crucial 7-0 run helped them take control of the game, sparked by Mikayla Markham's rainbow trey at the end of the shot clock to tie it up at 45.
 
A defensive stop keyed a fast-break opportunity to give the Lions the lead. Markham paused at the free throw line and hit a streaking Hannah Pratt for a layup to put the Lions on top with 3:53 to go. Janiya Clemmons drove into the lane and scored on the very next possession to boost the margin to four.
 
"I think we believed in what we were doing and we took a lot of pride in getting stops and rebounds," said head coach Megan Griffith, who has coached Columbia to each of its only three wins over BIG EAST opponents. "Offensively, we stopped playing one-on-one basketball. Georgetown did what they do well and we started playing like Georgetown. I was like, that is not our game plan. We are way better when we share the ball and we go in and out. We finally got back to ourselves."
 
Columbia outrebounded Georgetown (2-6) 18-7 in the fourth quarter, including 7-0 on the offensive end, and outscored the Hoyas 8-0 off second-chance opportunities across the final period. First year Kaitlyn Davis had seven rebounds herself in the quarter, made several hustle plays and converted two free throws late to keep the Hoyas at bay. She grabbed a game- and season-high 15 boards and earned a double-double with 10 points.
 
"I think we have some great leaders on this team that we can rely on," Davis said. "We've been in this position a few times this season and I'm confident in our team no matter what the score is."
 
Sienna Durr led the Lions in scoring with 13 points and tacked on five rebounds. Pratt finished with 10 points to go along with Davis' 10. Mikayla Markham made it back-to-back games with a season-high nine assists while also scoring seven points and grabbing six rebounds.
 
"We trust everyone who is on the floor to make big plays in big moments," said Markham, who set the program's first year record with 120 assists a season ago. "There's not much difference from the first two minutes to the last two minutes. We made big plays when we needed to."
 
Georgetown was led by Barnes' game-high 17 points and four steals.
 
The Hoyas were held to 26.8 percent shooting and converted just 4-of-25 from 3-point range. Though it gave up size, Columbia outrebounded Georgetown, 59-45, thanks in large part to the fourth quarter.
 
Georgetown led 25-24 at halftime. The Hoyas led by as many as nine late in the first quarter on a 3-pointer by Tatiana Thompson. Columbia then turned up the defense, holding the Hoyas scoreless over the next eight minutes.
 
During that stretch, Columbia used a 12-0 run to take its first lead, 24-21, with 4:47 left before halftime on a 3-pointer by Sienna Durr. Clemmons started the rally late in the first quarter by hitting a jumper with six seconds left. Davis and first year Abbey Hsu also scored on the run.
 
A stalemate of a third-quarter set up the fourth, where the Lions came from behind for the third time on their current winning streak to come away victorious.
 
"We're just growing up so much, week-by-week, day-by-day, it's been fun to be a part of," Griffith added. "I really believe in this group and they believe in each other. That's why they can grind these wins out."
 
The contest was the second of a four-game homestand for Columbia. The Lions are back in action when they host Davidson on Monday at Levien Gymnasium. Tip is scheduled for 7 p.m.

For the latest on the Columbia women's basketball program, follow @CULionsWBB on Twitter and Instagram, on Facebook at Facebook.com/ColumbiaWBB, on the web at GoColumbiaLions.com.